Improvement in pistons for oil-well pumps



JQB. POTTER. Pistons for'0i1-We11 Pumps.

No. 210,710. Patented ec. 10, 1878 UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH B. POTTER, OF KNOX P. 0., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFIlIS RIGHT TO THE JARECKI MANUFACTURING COMPANY, (LIMITED,') OF ERIE, PA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PISTONS FOR OlL-WELL PUMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 210,710, dated December10, 1878; application filed J uly 10, 1878. a

. of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Valvesfor Oil-VVell Pumps; and I do hereby declare the follow 4 ing to be afull, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to the construction of the valves for oil-wellpumps; and consists in an improved packing for the piston-valve.

The object of my invention is to avoid the use of springs, and to packthe piston by means of expansible rings which are acted plpop by thepressure of the superincumbent M y invention is shown in theaccompanying drawing, as follows:

Figure 1 is an elevation of my valve with parts broken away, so as toshow its construction. Fig. 2 is a section on the line as m, Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the expansible rings.

All that part of the valve below the rings, and marked A, is of ordinaryconstruction. (See dotted lines, Fig. 1.)

My invention relates to that part which is marked B. C is the fluidchamber or passage of the valve. C is the shell of this chamber. Uponthis shell are located the expan sible packing-rings D, E, and F, asshown in Fig. 1. Of these rings D has a breadth equal to both E and F.These rings are so placed or arranged together (and thus retained by apin, G, Fig. 3) that their slits (1 cf break joint. The shell 0, at thepoint where the rings are placed, is provided with perforations c c o.By this means the fluid from chamber 0 can come in contact and pressupon the expansible rings, and when the superincumbent weight of fluidis suflicient this pressure will so expand the rings as to properly packthe piston.

In deep wells, as oil-wells, the weight of the superincumbent fluid willbe too great, and the rings will be unduly pressed against the wall ofthe pump. To avoid this, and provide a means of regulating the pressureupon the rings, I attach at the top of the chamber a check-valve, B,which is provided with numerous perforations, b. As many of theseperforations b may be plugged as the, exigencies of the case require,the result being that by this check-valve B the pressure in chamber Ocan be regulated, as desired. In very shallow wells the check-valve maybe dispensed with. While I have described my invention as being adaptedfor oil-wells, yet it may be applied to other pumps.

I do not desire to be limited to the exact number or form of ringsshown, nor to the exact form of check-valve, for these details may bevaried without changing the general features or essential requisites,which are, first, the arrangement upon the shell 0 of extensible rings,adapted to be expanded by the pressure of fluid from the chamber Gthrough the perforations 0, and, second, when required, the cheek-valveBadapted to regulate the pressure within the chamber 0.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to construct a pump-valve so thatthe weight of superincumbent fluid will expand its sides, for. this wasdone by WV. F. Dodge, as shown in his patent of April 4, 1865, No.47,095; but the outer and expansible wall of Dodges valve is of leather,or some similar substance.

The main object of my invention is to do away with the use of suchdestructible sub stances, and hence I have devised the expansi blemetallic rings. While Dodge uses rings as binders around his eXpa-nsiblebag,'they do not perform the offices of my rings. lhe packin g of thepiston in that caseis effected by the leather being forced to expandbetween the binding-rings, which are placed so as not to come over theopenings in the inner metallic shell.

1 shall not claim the use of an expansible wall or shell on the outsideof a perforated innershell; but I shall claim expansible metallic rings,in combination with a perforated inner shell, when said rings serve as apack: in g for the valve or piston by being expanded by thefluid-pressure from within; and, further, 1 am awarethat packingringssimilar in construction to mine have been heretofore used in packing thepiston-rods of steam-em gines, (see patent to Cornell September 5, 1865,No. 49,7 25 5) but there is nothing in such a use which contemplates myinvention,

as above set forth, for I donotclaim the rings as a means of packingbroadly, but restrictedly-that is, in the combination substantially asshown, and for the purposes denominated.

What I claim is-.-

pandcd, so as to pack said piston by the pressure of fluid through saidperforations from within said chamber, as described.

2. The combination of the extensible rings, perforated shell, andperforated check-valve,

1 said parts being arranged to operate substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said JOSEPH B.

POTTER, have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH B. POTTER.

Witnesses":

B. B. DUNKLE, A. A. STEWART.

